Vise device



May 30, 1967 C- A. HARVILL VISE DEVICE Filed July 17, 1964 Z a h r pa? Q ma N4 m z w k v M 5:25.? f llTTLII I will M III IIIMW 1 r lL am M I. Q a f a A a q M, a w m u, a F, m U m/ a Z w d 33 M. 1 M /1 6 k M M W r M m) u United States Patent 3,322,422 VISE DEVICE Clarence A. Harvill, 4463 55th St, Sacramento, Calif. 95820 Filed July 17, 1964, Ser. No. 383,343 2 Claims. (Cl. 269-133) This invention relates to a vise device and relates more particularly to a device for holding a door or the like to assist in hanging of the same and to facilitate fitting the door for an opening in which it is to be placed as well as in supporting of a door or the like while mortising or attaching butts or hinges to the same.

It will be readily understood that although the following specification is particularly directed to the use of the device of the instant invention for mounting a door or the like, it will be equally useful for supporting any other article in a vise-like manner.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a vise device which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and eflicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble, utilize, and maintain.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device of the type described With a minimum of moving parts to decrease the likelihood of mechanical breakdown.

A further object of the instant invention is the provision of a device which will maintain oppositely disposed, relatively large jaw surfaces in gripping relationship with an article regardless of the thickness of the article within the limits of the dimensions of the structure.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a vise device which may be independently supported on the floor or on a work bench and in which the support means collapses to provide a relatively compact construction rendering the device portable.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of such a device wherein the jaw surfaces are actuated to a gripping position by the Weight of an article placed between them.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a vise device having alternative hand and foot-operated means for opening the jaws to insert or remove an article therefrom.

Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts, and features of construc tion.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a vise device in accordance with the instant inventive concept, parts being broken away for illustrative clarity and a door or the like being shown in dotted lines as grippingly engaged between the opposed jaw surfaces;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view thereof, the support member being broken away for illustrative convenience;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the device; and

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several view of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in general, a vise device in accordance with the instant inventive concept is designated generally by the reference character and comprises basically a fixed jaw means 12 including portions defining a fixed jaw surface 14, a movable jaw means 16 including portions defining a movable jaw surface 18, guide means 20 slidably supporting the movable jaw means 16 for movement between a gripping position wherein the 3,322,422 Patented May 30, 1967 fixed and movable jaw surfaces 14, in gripping relationship with opposite sides of an article 22 such as a door or the like to be held by the device 10, and a released position wherein the fixed and movable jaw surfaces 14, 18, respectively, are spaced from the article 22 to facilitate inserting or removing the same from the device 10. The guide means 20 include portions constraining the movable jaw means 16 to movement with the movable jaw surface 18 parallel to the fixel jaw surface 14 at all times in a manner and for a purpose to be pointed out in more detail hereinafter. Means 24 are provided for moving the movable jaw means 16 from the gripping position to the released position, and means 26 are provided for moving the movable jaw means 16 from the released position to the gripping position, the means 26 being actuated by the weight of the article 22 as will be seen from the further explanatory material.

Support means including a plurality of footings 28 carry a frame structure 52 containing the fixed and movable jaw means 12, 16. The support member 30 is hingedly secured to the fixed jaw means 12 at 32 for movement between an operative position wherein it extends substantially perpendicularly with respect to the fixed jaw means 12 as shown in the drawing, and an inoperative position wherein it extends substantially parallel to the fixed jaw means 12 to facilitate transporting the device 10 from one place to another.

The fixed jaw means 12 includes three juxtaposed or sandwiched plate members 34, 36 and 38, at least portions of one vertically extending edge of each defining the fixed jaw surface 14, a coating of thick felt material 40 or the like being secured to this surface to increase frictional engagement with the article 22 while decreasing the possibility of damaging the same. A tool rack 42 is secured to 18, respectively, are

the fixed jaw means 12 and recesses 44 are defined in the fixed jaw means 12 to facilitate supporting any conventional tools '(not shown) to be utilized in conjunction with the article 22 gripped by the device 10. The movable jaw means 16 includes a plate member 46 carrying an offset flanged portion 48 defining the movable jaw surface 18, this surface also being covered with a felt material 50 to protect the article 22.

The guide means 20 includes a frame structure 52 having three juxtaposed or sandwiched frame members 54, 56 and 58, the movable 'jaw means 16 being slidably received between the inner and outer frame members 54, 58 and defining an edge surface 60 angularly disposed with respect to, and extending on one side of, the

movable jaw surface 18 which slidably engages a parallel surface 62 defined by the middle frame member 56. An additional edge surface 64 is also defined by a portion of the movable jaw means 16 and is similarly angularly disposed with respect to the movable jaw surface 18, extending on an opposite side of the same with respect to the edge surface 60, the additional edge surface 64 slidably engaging a second angularly disposed fixed surface 66 which is defined by the middle plate member 36 of the fixed jaw means 12. The guide means 20 further includes an elongated slot 68 similarly angularly disposed with respect to the movable jaw surface 18 and slidably receiving a pin member 70 fixedly secured in the inner and outer frame members 54, 58. Thus, it will be seen that the guide means 20 constrains the movable jaw means 16 to movement with the movable jaw surface 18 parallel to the fixed jaw surface 14 so as to grippingly engage the opposite surfaces of the article 22 in use.

The means 24 for moving the movable jaw means 16 from the gripping position to the released position includes a handle member 72 secured to the top of the movable jaw means 16 for manually lifting the same to the released position. Additionally, the means 24 includes a pedal member 74 pivotally secured by a pin member 76 carired by the inner and outer frame members 54, 58, one end of the pedal member 74 operatively engaging a recess 78 defined in the movable jaw means 16 and the opposite end of the pedal member 74 extending beyond the frame structure 52 to be foot operated for raising the movable jaw means 16 to the released position.

The means 26 for moving the movable jaw means 16 from the released position to the gripping position includes portions 80 of the movable jaw means 16 underlying, and extending perpendicularly with respect to, the movable jaw surface 18, the portions 80 extending from the movable jaw surface 18 to the additional edge surface 64 of the same to receive thereon in resting relationship the article 22, the weight of the article 22 sliding the movable jaw means 16 downwardly to grippingly engage opposite surfaces of the article with the fixed and movable jaw surfaces 14. 18.

The device may be formed of any conventional material such as wood, metal, plastic or the like and the separate plate and frame members may be integrally formed, if desired.

The use and operation of the device of the instant invention will now be apparent. The support member 30 is pivoted to the operative position shown in the drawing and the device is then placed in a convenient location. The movable jaw means 16 is raised to the released position preferably by lifting on the handle member 72 to space the fixed and movable jaw surfaces 14, 18 a distance greater than the width of the article 22 to be gripped thereby. The article 22 is then placed between the jaw surfaces on the portion 80 of the movable jaw means 16, the weight of the article 22 lowering the movable jaw means 16, and the guide means constraining the movement of the movable jaw surface 18 to a parallel relationship with respect to the fixed jaw surface 14. The movable jaw means 16 drops until the fixed and movable jaw surfaces 14, 18 grippingly engage the opposite surfaces of the article 22. For removing the article 22, the movable jaw means 16 is raised, preferably by stepping on the pedal member 74 thereby releasing the gripping engagement of the jaw surfaces 14, 18.

If desired, a plurality of vise devices in accordance with the instant inventive concept may be utilized in spaced relationship to support a large article in an obvious manner.

It will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved vise device which satisfies all of the objectives of the instant invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, and since many modifications may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A vise device comprising a fixed jaw means including portions defining a fixed jaw surface, a movable jaw means including portions defining a movable jaw surface, guide means slidably supporting said movable jaw means for movement between a gripping position and a released position, said guide means including portions constraining said movable jaw means to movement with said movable jaw surface parallel to said fixed jaw surface at all times, means for moving said movable jaw means from said gripping position to said released position, and means for moving said movable jaw means from said released position to said gripping position, said last-mentioned means being actuated by the weight of an article to be gripped between said fixed and movable jaw surfaces, said guide means including portions of said movable jaw means defining an edge surface angularly disposed with respect to, and extending on one side of, said movable jaw surface, additional portions of said movable jaw means including an additional edge surface angularly disposed with respect to, and extending on an opposite side of, said movable jaw surface, said edge surface and said additional edge surface being parallel with respect to each other, a first angularly disposed fixed surface parallel to, and slidably engaging, said edge surface, and a second angularly disposed fixed surface parallel to, and slidably engaging, said additional edge surface.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said means for moving said movable jaw means from said released position to said gripping position includes portions of said movable jaw means underlying, and extending perpendicularly with respect to, said movable jaw surface, said last-mentioned portions of said movable jaw means extending from said movable jaw surface to said additional edge surface to receive thereon in resting relationship an article to be gripped between said fixed and movable jaw surfaces.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 771,753 10/1904 Stanley 269133 997,103 7/1911 Thompson 269133 1,189,159 6/1916 Molton 269133 1,998,720 5/1933 Hofrneister 269l6 2,384,992 9/1945 Garlinghouse 269--16 X ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner. E, SUTTON, Assistant Examiner, 

1. A VISE DEVICE COMPRISING A FIXED JAW MEANS INCLUDING PORTIONS DEFINING A FIXED JAW SURFACE, A MOVABLE JAW MEANS INCLUDING PORTIONS DEFINING A MOVABLE JAW SURFACE, GUIDE MEANS SLIDABLY SUPPORTING SAID MOVABLE JAW MEANS FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A GRIPPING POSITION AND A RELEASED POSITION, SAID GUIDE MEANS INCLUDING PORTIONS CONSTRAINING SAID MOVABLE JAW MEANS TO MOVEMENT WITH SAID MOVABLE JAW SURFACE PARALLEL TO SAID FIXED JAW SURFACE AT ALL TIMES, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID MOVABLE JAW MEANS FROM SAID GRIPPING POSITION TO SAID RELEASED POSITION, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID MOVABLE JAW MEANS FROM SAID RELEASED POSITION TO SAID GRIPPING POSITION, SAID LAST-MENTIONED MEANS BEING ACTUATED BY THE WEIGHT OF AN ARTICLE TO BE GRIPPED BETWEEN SAID FIXED AND MOVABLE JAW SURFACES, SAID GUIDE MEANS INCLUDING PORTIONS OF SAID MOVABLE JAW MEANS DEFINING AN EDGE SURFACE ANGULARLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO, AND EXTENDING ON ONE SIDE OF, SAID MOVABLE JAW SURFACE, ADDITIONAL PORTIONS OF SAID MOVABLE JAW MEANS INCLUDING AN ADDITIONAL EDGE SURFACE ANGULARLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO, AND EXTENDING ON AN OPPOSITE SIDE OF, SAID MOVABLE JAW SURFACE, SAID EDGE SURFACE AND SAID ADDITIONAL EDGE SURFACE BEING PARALLEL WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, A FIRST ANGULARLY DISPOSED FIXED SURFACE PARALLEL TO, AND SLIDABLY ENGAGING, SAID EDGE SURFACE, AND A SECOND ANGULARLY DISPOSED FIXED SURFACE PARALLEL TO, AND SLIDABLY ENGAGING, SAID ADDITIONAL EDGE SURFACE. 